BRIDGEWATER — The situation screamed for a sacrifice bunt, but the most prolific slugger in the history of the Somerset Patriots was the batter walking to the plate.

Not a bunting candidate to most observers.

Just don’t count manager Sparky Lyle on that long list.

Shortly after Jeff Nettles moved the tying and winning runs into scoring position by demonstrating his least relied-upon skill, the Patriots scored two runs on an error and stole a 5-4 walk-off victory from the Camden Riversharks on Saturday night at TD Bank Ballpark.

It was the front end of a doubleheader, which, in the Atlantic League, consists of two seven-inning games.

“We just lost three in a row,” Lyle said when asked why the franchise’s all-time leader in home runs bunted with runners on first and second and no outs. “I wanted to break that streak. I had him bunting because I want to win the game right there. It’s not like we’re swinging the bat real good right now.”

Even the decisive play supported Lyle’s criticism.

After Matt Hagen was intentionally walked to set up the double play, Teuris Olivares was badly jammed on an inside pitch by closer Franklin Perez (0-2).

First baseman Vito Chiaravalloti fielded the weak ground ball but his throw to the plate was low and wide, skipping all the way to the backstop as two runs scored and the Patriots hopped out of the dugout to celebrate.

It was Olivares who hit into a rally-killing double play with the game on the verge of being broken open in the fifth inning.

The Patriots (71-45) already had scored three runs to take a 3-2 lead and still had the bases loaded with no outs but Matt Hagen struck out and Olivares helped out reliever Julio Guerrero.

“We had six runners on and couldn’t score,” Lyle said of the team’s struggles throughout the game. “What makes you think it was going to be any different (at the end of the game?)”

The missed opportunity loomed large when Garrett Guzman led off the sixth with a single against starting pitcher Jason Standridge, prompting Lyle to call on his most-trusted escape artist.

Casey Cahill did not do the job, however, allowing a go-ahead two-run home run to Brett Bonvechio.

“He wasn’t throwing well,” Lyle said. “That’s the guy I wanted in there because of his sinker but he didn’t throw one sinker the whole at-bat.”

After another runner advanced to second base with two outs, Lyle replaced Cahill with Jared Gothreaux, who worked out of trouble. Gothreaux (7-8) retired all four batters he faced, evoking confidence in Lyle.

“Gothreaux is coming in and throwing three pitches for strikes,” Lyle said. “He looks like my go-to guy right now.”

Riversharks starter Dewon Brazelton, the third overall pick in the 2001 Major League Baseball amateur draft, breezed through the first four innings but seemed rattled after a defensive mistake leading off the bottom of the fifth inning.

Elliott Ayala reached base when second baseman Brian Finnegan dropped the ball during the exchange from his glove to his bare hand.

Brazelton did not record another out.

Jon Nelson, who collected a team-high three hits, ripped a ground ball over the third-base bag for an RBI double, and a single and a walk loaded the bases for Jason Belcher.

Belcher inside-outed a pitch into left field for the game-tying RBI single, keeping the bases loaded. A five-pitch walk to Nettles plated the tie-breaking run and led to Brazelton’s removal.